One hears much at Christmas about "a good old fashioned Christmas" "Traditional Christmas" "family Christmas" . It feels like people are searching for something . It's easy to look back and see something that was pleasant. They don't get the same buzz from Christmas these days.
I started to think about my past and Christmas celebrations. I was born in 1939 on the Saskatchewan prairie. Times were tough, very tough. In this area they hadn't really pulled out of the depression and then WW II started and there were more hard times.
So, of course, I don't remember much about my first four or five Christmases. We were still hard up in the late forties but I remember Christmases. Schools and churches had concerts which were exciting. For these we received a bag of candy and nuts and best of all a Japanese orange.
Our Christmas presents were meager but we didn't know that.
We went to our cousins for Christmas and New Years . We harnessed the team and headed a mile across the fields to our cousins. The next year they came to our house.
Economic conditions were better in the fifties and we were older. We received more as it could be afforded. We played games all day with the cousins. This time flew by quickly and we spent more time with our friends at Christmas rather than our families. We still attended the dinner and gift giving.
Then suddenly I was not able to be home for Christmas and that was another way to spend Christmas.
Marriage and we went back to family celebrations.
My children came and we had a family Christmas with the gifts and big dinner but we were away from family so just the nuclear family participated.
When my children left they went other ways and did not come home for Christmas.
As a couple without family we kept up traditions with the big meal and gifts. We attended the Christmas eve church service.
Gradually we did less and less. Gifts were omitted. We had too much already. Decorations became less until this year it's only lights outside. Less baking was done until this year there was none which is good because it's too physically challenging for the micro manager. The Christmas dinner was missing some of the trimmings.
Next year we will eat our Christmas dinner out at a restaurant.
So, this gets me back to the traditional Christmas. Would it be possible to go back. Never. Would we like the traditional Christmas celebration? Probably not. I don't think I'd like to be riding in an open sleigh box behind two old farm horses.
So the traditional Christmas is the one we celebrate right now. This year , I enjoyed my Christmas as much as ever but there wasn't any razzle dazzle.
You described our Christmas experiences well although ours started in the fifties. Our grandkids decorate our tree otherwise we wouldn’t have one. Watching them experience Christmas makes our day. And so the generations go by and traditions continue through another generation. It was fun!
ReplyDeleteToday with globalization our kids are spread all over the place. We have one in Chicago and one on the west coast.
DeleteI'm impressed you hung some lights! I did squat but go to work, but my son has his tree up. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteWell, the lights are on low bushes. I'm not allowed to go up a ladder.
DeleteGrowing up in a farming family meant that Christmas mornings were spent outdoors looking after the animals - Christmas dinner, no matter how huge, presented no problems at all when we got home. I have no ambition to ever go back to having to thaw out water pipes and muck out pigs on Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteWe also did chores and milked cows in the morning and then again in the evening.
DeleteI've read similar thoughts on a couple other blogs I read about how Christmas traditions change over the years. Like you, I look back with some degree of fondness of past Christmas traditions but wouldn't want to repeat them if given a chance.
ReplyDeleteReality says we couldn't do the same things again.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI am happy with a little less this Christmas. It is a treat to see the grand children enjoying the decorations, food and gifts. Take care, enjoy the last days of 2022!
It gradually gets less as we age and are not able to do as much anymore.
DeleteIt was much the same for me, except we had a little more to spend. I love thinking about Christmases past, since now we don't celebrate it much at all. There's nobody losing any sleep over that around here, though. :-)
ReplyDeletethat's funny how we don't miss the big family dos.
DeleteSue still decorates inside but not as much as she used to. We don’t even do a proper dinner and more or less turn Christmas Eve into a snack time. Kids are gone to their other place by about 10AM, and they don’t really like turkey anyway. For a few years, we tried bringing in Chinese on C Eve, but our fave place doesn’t open then, and th either replaces don’t appeal. Pizza is good, but we can have that any ole time, so we don’t. Maybe I should write a post? But I probably won’t. 😀
ReplyDeletethere are other options now. It's okay to miss the turkey.
DeleteI'm glad Christmas is behind us. For me, each year is an ordeal.
ReplyDeleteChristmas does put pressure on people.
DeleteMy Christmases have changed. Our extended family used to get together in Toronto. My grandmother would host. We were alone this year. We just have to adapt.
ReplyDeleteWe were alone and didn't really miss all the fuss.
DeleteChristmas celebrations evolve as you have explained very well in this post. We adapt and life goes on. It isn't always worse or better just different but still remembered and spent with people we care about if we are lucky.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Christmas changes as we change. But it's still Christmas! And a new year. So happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year to you too.
DeleteI found this blogpost rather sad but you are right, circumstances change and so do Christmases. Nothing stays the same but next year please buy Jean a nice bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates in memory of all those happy Christmases past.
ReplyDeleteI will do so. The Micro Manager is at a point where making a big meal or baking is too much of a physical challenge so next year we eat out.
DeleteOur Christmases are simple and quiet. We don't do presents anymore and lasagne is our meal for a couple of days. We used to have turkey but gave it up about a decade ago. Our daughter lives in Oregon so we see her once a year when she visits. We always celebrate her birthday when she's here so we all still have good times but they are adjusted to the way we live these days.
ReplyDeleteMany people have to celebrate Christmas on other days so people can gather.
DeleteWhat a moving post, Red. Our Christmas has changed as well. We put up our tree. My grandson loves it so, and it is a joy to watch him. I feel that as we've gotten older though, we savor the lights more. I find myself unwilling to take the tree down just yet because I love the lights in the dark room. The thing that I find most about being older, is that Christmas lasts longer. Sounds strange, doesn't it? But I spend a great deal of time eyeballing gifts on line. I love finding the perfect gifts, and I am excited at the prospect of giving them. That is what makes the holiday for me. Tim and I did not exchange gifts this year either. We simply couldn't think of anything. In the end, we bought a good camera. We hope to travel more.
ReplyDeleteKids can get excited about Christmas. William would get much out of decorating the tree.
DeleteMy early Christmases were much like yours, but we did go to Grandma's house in a car. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe still have a "traditional" Christmas, as you have seen on my blog posts.
People make things that work. With globalization people are spread across the globe. It was a disaster this year for Christmas travel.
DeleteAh, Red, you have told the history of our changing times in a great way. Thanks for sharing your Christmases with us.
ReplyDeleteAt one time we all lived near each other so could get together.
DeleteWe used to have big celebrations when my kids were really young and all the grandparents were still around. As the years have gone by, the celebrations have become smaller. I guess we all adapt as the years go by.
ReplyDeleteAdaptation is key for changes that happen.
DeleteI’ve got to break this down into two parts: First, your early years. You endured some rough times and, the way it sounds, you really were not unhappy with what you had. You said, “Our Christmas presents were meager but we didn't know that.” A human only knows what they have learned so far in their life. It’s interesting to me that, these days, folks give their kids gifts that they couldn’t have imagined back when they were growing up. So, nice look back on your early years. Secondly, more recently, your Christmas routine sounds a lot like mine. We are definitely slowing down and letting go of a bunch of the so-called holiday routine. Don’t need all the decorations, don’t need all the gifts, don’t need all the extra food, etc. So, all in all, I like your look back and expectations going forward. Happy New Year to you and the Micro Manager.
ReplyDeleteFirst it would be difficult for the two of us to make the big meal. I really like aspic and ambrosia salad but I can do without it. Even thought the folks were hard up , they looked after us well and we were happy.
ReplyDeleteMy Christmases become smaller each year as well. I still have family living with me and more not far away but i don't need more stuff and i don't have the stamina for massive preparations.
ReplyDeleteI looked into a catered Christmas meal as my mum is nearly but not quite housebound. I think a nicely cooked dinner at home would be lovely but of course you are still left with the clean up!
You have a great attitude, Red. I'm glad you enjoyed it
You did very well to hang the Christmas lights. I'm a bit younger than you but have noticed I've slowed down a lot over the past few years. I agree too that as we age, we need less and less of what we used to do. In fact things will need to change fairly soon in our house because we simply cannot eat the big meals any more, lol and also it is tiring for me to make it all.I'm glad you enjoyed your Christmas and send you wishes for a fantastic New Year.
ReplyDeleteOur worlds shrink with age and Christmas is no different. You have a great attitude, I'm glad you had a nice Christmas
ReplyDeleteNostalgia always distorts the reality, doesn't it? We think we want the simpler "olden days" but we forget how much work they were!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about the Christmases of my childhood also, seeing them through 70 year old eyes. Looking back, they were pretty wonderful for children but I think a lot less so for the adults who had to do all the work and foot the bill! I enjoyed reading about yours.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have much either as children so we've followed your path as well except that I still did some baking, but only fruitcake. Our dinner was very simple. New Year is slightly more traditional at our house because of mom's Japanese upbringing. I think COVID really limited our holiday celebration too.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go on a sleigh ride...if it was not too cold. Happy New Year Red!
ReplyDeleteI always love reading your memories Red. They should write a best seller about your life. I have lovely memories of my childhood Christmas'. There were no stockings, just a pillowcase stuffed with modest things, and my favorite gifts were the yearly Bunty and Judy annuals. We had games also, and a few chocolates. I still enjoy Christmas, but we celebrate quietly and I wouldn't have it any other way. A Very Happy and Healthy New Year to you and the micro manager :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful Christmas post. I enjoyed it very much. I am one of those who gets kinda sad around Christmas time, wishing we could make Christmas fun again like when I was young. I need to get over it. Christmas here sounds pretty much like yours now.
ReplyDeleteA divine story of traditional Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed each bit of it.
You as growing boy started to attend Christmas with friends more than parents. As parents we are experiencing similar times though girls here spend more times indoors comparatively.
I can imagine how such festivals can will turn in next some years .though thought of Eid without kids around makes me feel sick even now
It should be exactly so. Well said. Everything changes over time for everyone. Glad you enjoyed your Christmas.
ReplyDelete